Most Americans are eating their way to cancer

Most Americans are eating a diet that can cause heart disease and cancer.

Around 60 percent consume a diet that is primarily made up of processed food and sodas that increase levels of inflammation, say researchers from Ohio State University.

They analysed the diets of 34,500 people who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey by using the dietary inflammation index, which measures the inflammation-inducing qualities of food and drink.

Around 34 percent had an ‘anti-inflammatory’ diet—consisting of fruits and vegetables—and 9 percent had a neutral diet, but 57 percent were consuming a ‘pro-inflammatory’ diet.  Most of these were black Americans and people on lower incomes.

Looking at food either as pro- or anti-inflammatory could help people introduce different elements into their diet that could shift the balance.  Adding more garlic, ginger, turmeric and green and black tea into the diet can all help counter the effects of a pro-inflammatory diet, said Rachel Meadows, one of the researchers.

Other anti-inflammatory foods include whole grains, green leafy vegetables like spinach, legumes such as beans and lentils, fatty fish and berries.

“Moving toward a diet with less inflammation could have a positive impact on a number of chronic conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even depression and other mental health conditions,” she added.

Chronic inflammation can also be caused by stress and adverse childhood experiences—and even by a lack of sleep.  But eating more anti-inflammatory foods can be an important element to counter these other influences.

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